Free Talk: Blog Stuff

Hopefully, Namaikizakari63 will be out before the 10th but 64 will definitely worked on after I come back along with Kono Oto Tomare and Kurosaki kun no Iinari ni Nante Naranai which usually come out mid-month ^^; Ookami-heika no Hanayome is not yet up due to the scanlator’s moving house.

Regarding Kimi ni Todoke, I don’t know if the Chinese scanlators are still going to work on it. You see, in dm5, there is a ‘we are asked to remove this due to copyright, please support the official work’ notice. Kurosaki kun also had that notice but some people are uploading the ‘official?’ scans. Maybe they won’t do that for KnT since it is very popular.

Anyways, the English scanlators are quickly catching up on KnT and it seems to be ending already so I guess you can consider it dropped. For those who are curious as to what’s going on. I read bits and pieces in baidu. I don’t know what happened in 116 but...

In 117, Ayane confessed and got rejected. In 118, college entrance exam is over, comforting Ayane who got rejected and then, graduation ceremony is starting.

I'll be away because I’ll be going to the US with my sister’s family ^^ It will be my first time going to the US. Originally, it should just be for a week in Hawaii. The purpose is just to get a US visa for me and my sis’ baby. In our country, it is very hard and expensive to get it since they say there are a lot of illegal immigrants from our country in the US.

When they were booking the tickets, the price to go to Hawaii is the same or almost the same as to LA. So, they decided to go to LA and extended it to more than 2 weeks. We’ll be going around LA, SF and LV though I’m not sure how much we can cover a lot of places since we have kids and a baby. Whatever happens, good or bad, it will be an experience ^^

A few months ago, we got our US visa. For those curious on how it goes: First, we have to fill up a form online. Then, pay at a certain bank then print out a form saying that you’ve paid. After that, we scheduled the embassy visit. It is written that you have to be 15 minutes early but if you are there earlier, they won’t let you in.

I did just that. I’m there exactly 15 minutes before the appointment. My sister and others are already there earlier. It turns out that they don’t follow that rule. ^^; When I got there, they are already getting the next batch ready to go inside. So, I'm considered 'late' ^^;; Thankfully, having a baby with us gives us special accommodation like an ‘express lane’. So, we pass by the long line and go in front. =P

I notice that in the first window, the people manning there are semi-strict and friendly. They are just going to check your papers, picture submitted, etc if they are all in order. The second window is for the picture and finger scanning. The people here are the super friendly ones. They smile and are quite cheerful as they guide you what to do.

The third window is the dreaded strict people who’ll be doing the interview. This is where you either go home happy or sad + $160 gone for good. I actually think that they let your guard down while at the second window like make you think this isn't scary at all. ^^; So, the questions for us are basic.

The man interviewed my sis and hubby first for the baby. The man just asks how long we’ll stay there and if they had gone there before. Then, he checks their passports that has US visas. Next, it is my turn. After sis introduced me to the guy, he asks what my work is, income, and other minor work related stuff.

After that, he looks at the passport and types on the computer for a very long time. It got me thinking  is this okay or not but I think it is okay or else, why waste time typing on the computer unless he is doing some background search.

And after he is finished typing, he says we got the visa and just wait for a few days to get it from the courier. So that’s it. He didn’t even bother looking at the rest of the documents to prove that I’ll come back or have family ties here.

Later on, my sister said that she thinks that the man is hesitating. Well, they say that it is because I’m single = high chance of becoming an illegal immigrant. Maybe, if I was younger they would have denied my application or I’m not applying for it along with my sis’ baby. A lot were saying that it is difficult to get a visa now because of Trump.

While waiting for our turn there, I eavesdropped on the other applicants on what makes them approve or deny. If someone has a US visa before, they usually get approved after a lot of questions. There was a woman who was asked what countries you had gone before. I was expecting that will be asked of me based on what I read on the internet.

For the few ones that got denied, the first one said that he is a farmer. I thought that this guy is going to be denied because his income isn’t enough to prove that he’ll come back. It turns out that it was his second try. He produced more documents to prove things but he was still denied. He tried to argue that his mother was approve but no, bye-bye. Second attempts then to be still denied and another $160 gone.

The second one is a grandma. She is going to visit her son in the US. I think it would help if she got a translator but then, her companion translated the questions in the local language. I forgot the first question she was asked but she wasn’t able to answer it satisfactory. The one that got her denied was when was the last time she talked/saw her son. She couldn’t answer.

The last one is on a wheelchair with one amputated leg. She is going to get treatment in the US. The man says that it is very expensive so what’s her job. She is a nurse and she seems to be currently on leave.

The man checks some things then ask where she is staying. She says at her brother’s in forgot where, but let’s say NY. Then, the man says, in your form you say you are going to LA. Why aren’t you going straight there? We already left so I don’t know if she got it but most likely, she didn’t.

That’s it for now. So, back to regular summaries until I leave...